Red-breasted Goose: Paglesham Eastend, Essex

The weather forecast for today was heavy rain, followed by more heavy rain. Despite this, Brian wanted to try to see the Red-breasted Goose at Wallasea. Knowing we were going to get a soaking, we still agreed to join him. The Red-breasted Goose has been present in the area since early November but has been very mobile and seen at Wallasea, Burnham-on-Crouch, Dengie Marshes, Fleet Head, and recently at Paglesham EastEnd. In recent days, reports have suggested it's more reliably seen at Paglesham. So before heading to Wallasea, we drove to Eastend searching for the c2,000 Brent Goose flock it has been seen among. We soon spotted the flock in a distant field. It was raining heavily as we left the car, but Brian found the target soon after setting up the scope.  

Red-breasted Goose with Brent Geese

We retreated back to the car and drove around to Wallasea Island. A Kestrel was perched on a road sign as we entered. We walked out to Caroline's Hide, scanning the various pools as we went, only adding Ringed Plover to the year list.

Safe to say, it wasn't the most pleasant of walks I have enjoyed at Wallasea, but we were out birding, and that was all that really mattered.

First birding trip to Norfolk in 2026

At present, birding opportunities have to be taken when they become available. So when Saturday became free, we decided on a trip to Norfolk. 

We began the day with a quick stop at Hunstanton. It was still semi-dark, but light enough to pick out several Fulmars and a single Red-breasted Merganser on the sea. Then onto Titchwell, where we found the Tawny Owl roosting in its favourite tree. Water levels on the Freshwater Marsh were much higher than expected, and as a result, the wader count was well down. The waders that were present were on the small pools on the other side of the path at Thornham Marsh. Making our way to the beach, we picked out a female Scaup on the Tidal Marsh. An hour's seawatch was rewarded with three Long-tailed Ducks, two Eiders and a single Red-throated Diver. Hundreds of Oystercatchers were present at Thornham Point, and Sanderlings were also present in good numbers.

Tawny Owl

Curlew

Brent Geese

View on the walk back from Thornham Point

Sanderling

After leaving Titchwell, we stopped at Brancaster Staithe, where we enjoyed watching Turnstones, Grey Plovers, and Bar-tailed Godwits.

Turnstone

Bar-tailed Godwit

Three Glossy Ibis had been reported at Stiffkey Floods; however, as we approached the viewing area, we heard gunshots. A quick scan of the flooded fields produced no Ibis! We were told by birders walking back that they had flown when the shooting started. News came through that two Ibis were now being seen at Morston Quay. We scanned the saltmarsh from the quay and quickly found the two Glossy Ibis; they were distant, but good views were had through the scope. Also present feeding in the creek was a single Greenshank. 

A flock of Twite had been reported at Salthouse earlier in the day, and as we were close by, we went in search of them. There was no sign of the Twite, but we did enjoy a flock of thirteen Snow Buntings. There were obviously shoots happening on the adjacent farmlands today, and when we scanned the top field, dozens of Red-legged Partridges were seen along the hedgeline.

Our last stop of the day was Sheringham. We were hoping to see the Eastern Black Redstart. Brian, having seen it at the end of last year, knew exactly where to find it. 

1st winter male Eastern Black Redstart

Although currently only regarded as a subspecies of Black Redstart, this is a stunning-looking bird and well worth the visit.

Killdeer: Ripley, Hampshire

This morning, Brian had made a return trip to the Lee Valley, hoping to get a few more photos of the Bittern. While on site, news broke of a mega-rare North American vagrant found in Hampshire. 

The bird was a Killdeer, common in North America. I have seen them several times in the States while on holiday. It frequents meadows, farmland, airfields, and short-cropped lawns, and also shores and riverbanks. A larger version of the Ringed Plover, but with a distinctive double breast band being the most obvious difference. It has a reddish-orange rump, which is visible in flight or when stretching its wings.

It wasn't possible to drop everything and go, so we were left hoping the bird would remain overnight. The weather overnight was for heavy rain, so at 5.45am, after meeting Brian, we set off on the 126-mile journey. The news services were saying limited parking, so we expected to have some problems parking the car upon arrival. However, as we reached the layby shortly after 8am there was a single space left, which we gladly took. All that was now left was a mile walk along a gravel path with several pig fields bordering the track. At the end of the track was a small body of water known as Ripley Farm Reservoir. We joined the gathered crowd and were put on the bird immediately. It was distant, feeding among a group of Shelduck. The scope was put to work, allowing us to get excellent views of the bird.

Scene from the viewing area

Taken with the phone hand-held to the scope (I forgot the adapter)

Delighted with how smoothly the twitch had gone, we decided to drive to Holbury, some twenty-two miles away.  The Great-tailed Grackle was first seen on the 2nd November, around the RNLI station car park just north of Calshot Castle. On the 8th of November, it relocated to gardens along Southbourne Avenue in Holbury. As we turned into Southbourne Avenue, the Grackle was seen perched on a garden fence. We spent the next thirty minutes watching it feeding in nearby gardens. Giving ridiculous views, at one point, I was standing on the path outside a garden watching it, when it walked out of the front gates and proceeded to walk straight past me, feeding along the edge of the brick wall as it went!

Great-tailed Grackles breed from California to Oregon and east to Iowa, south to the Gulf of Mexico, through Mexico, and central America. It is resident throughout much of its range. The Great-tailed Grackle is largely non-migratory and does not occur in eastern North America, making unassisted vagrancy highly unlikely.

The BOURC's current policy towards ship-assisted vagrants is not to admit port-to-port or coast-to-coast transportees onto the British List. Ship-assisted birds should only be admitted to the list if the species is considered capable of making an unassisted transatlantic crossing. Therefore, this species has been added to Category E of the British List. 

Nevertheless, it was a cracking bird to watch, and well worth the detour to see it.

Great-tailed Grackle

Bittern at Lee Valley

Recently, a Bittern has been showing occasionally in the small reedbed at the Wildlife Discovery Centre at Fishers Green within the Lee Valley. For many years, this was my local patch, and I spent many an enjoyable hour watching Bitterns here. One year, I watched four Bitterns at the same time from this location.

 

Brian picked me up, and we arrived shortly before 8am. We were the only people present, and as we entered the viewing area, the Bittern was standing in the left-hand channel. It stayed there for a few minutes, then disappeared among the reeds. Although it was among the reeds, the Bittern was still viewable, and soon headed back towards the channel. 

The small reedbed 

I added Water Rail to my year list before heading back towards the farm. We located the White-fronted Goose flock and had a count of thirty-two within a mixed flock with Egyptian Geese.

White-fronted and Egyptian Geese

Jack Snipe, Lemsford Springs

Dad and I made a very brief visit to Lemsford Springs in Hertfordshire this morning. 

When the temperature drops below freezing, this site can be a good place to see Jack Snipe. The main attraction is the old watercress beds, which in the cold winter months do not freeze over. Access is normally by key, but when the warden expects more visitors, he sometimes leaves the gate open as keys are in short supply.

As we entered the hide, a Jack Snipe could be seen feeding behind one of the railway sleepers. There were a total of five Jack Snipes on site. There were also five Green Sandpipers, six Common Snipe, two Little Egrets, and two Grey Wagtails seen.

View from the hide

Jack Snipe

Green Sandpiper

Yellow-browed Warbler: St Albans, Hertfordshire

As we wanted to stay close to home again this morning, we headed for St Albans in Hertfordshire. It's only 22 miles from home. We parked at the bottom of Abbey Mill Lane, which is located right next to Verulamium Lake. Our main target this morning was the Yellow-browed Warbler. It had been reported in the south-east corner yesterday, and we soon found it flitting about in the scrub near the water's edge. It was very mobile foraging up and down the scrub along the River Ver. Before leaving, I managed to add Grey Wagtail, Goldcrest, and Redwing to the year list, but couldn't find the reported Med Gull among the Black-headed Gulls out on the frozen lake.

Yellow-browed Warbler

The area the warbler was found in

On the way home, we stopped at the Watercress NR. It's situated on old watercress beds and allotments. It's a lovely little reserve bounded by the River Ver, the Alban Way footpath, and the houses of Riverside Road. I added Redpoll, Siskin, Bullfinch, and Greenfinch to my year list. 

New year birding starts at Abberton Reservoir

Brian hadn't been feeling 100% recently, so we delayed our start of the new birding year until today. A trip to Abberton Reservoir was our choice, as it was relatively close to home.

We arrived at Layer Breton causeway around 8am, and were soon watching three drake Smew, quickly followed by several Goldeneye and Goosander. We walked south and scanned the nearby field to find the three Tundra Bean Geese among a sizeable flock of Greylag Geese. 

In a field opposite Billets Farm, we found the White-fronted Geese, before parking along Layer de la Haye causeway to scan the main reservoir. Two Little Stints, several Black-tailed Godwits, and a single Green sandpiper were seen feeding at the southern end. Black-necked and Slavonian Grebes were also seen. Having crossed the road, we found a Rock Pipit feeding along the water's edge and a Kingfisher perched among the overhanging branches. From here, we parked up at the start of Lodge Lane and walked out to view the reservoir, where I managed to locate the Lesser Scaup among the raft of Tufted Ducks and Greater Scaup.

On the way home, we made a brief stop at Ardleigh Reservoir and quickly found the reported Red-necked Grebe.

I finished the day having seen fifty species, and after adding the fifteen species seen from the garden the previous day, my year list stands at 75. 

Drake Smew